TOURISM GEOGRAPHIES

Editorial & Abstracts/Résumé/Inhaltsangabe/Resumen

VOLUME 2 - ISSUE 1 - February 2000

Go To Table of Contents for Volume 2 - Go to TG Homepage - last updated 19 March 2001


Special Issue Guest Editorial - Allan M. Williams & C. Michael Hall - Tourism and Migration - pp.2-4

This issue of Tourism Geographies focuses on issues surrounding the relationship between tourism and migration. The articles are presented as part of the outcomes of a project of the IGU Study Group on Sustainable Tourism on tourism and migration which has held sessions at the 1999 AAG conference in Hawaii, at which some of the following articles were initally presented for discussion, and the October 1999 conference on Sustaining Rural Environments: Issues in Globalization, Migration and Tourism held in Flagstaff, Arizona. A future meeting of participants in the project is planned for the Seoul, South Korean, International Geographical Congress to be held in August 2000. The collection of articles contained in this edition of Tourism Geographies are some of the first fruits from the project which will likely also lead to further journal articles and an edited collection of papers from the various meetings as well as specially commisioned works.

The growth of tourism has, of course, long been interdependent with that of particular forms of migration. Quite apart from the fact that tourism itself constitutes a form of migration, of varying duration, it has generated two distinctive flows of migration in terms of

While geographers are concerned with the underlying processes of economic restructuring and cultural change which inform the redefinition of tourism-migration relationships, they are also interested in the extent and ways in which their impacts are contingent on economic, social, political and environmental conditions in particular localities. In turn, these local conditions inform the unfolding processes of globalisation. The wider project and the present set of papers are therefore seeking to develop a greater understanding of the role of mobility, which is one of the central preoccupations of contemporary geography, in the setting of the interrelationships between tourism and migration.
One of the initial points to consider in examining tourism and migration relationships is the difficulty in distinguishing between tourism migration and migration tourism. The two concepts may be conceived as operating at two ends of a continuum of personal mobility with one concept blurring with the other. Such definitional concerns are not merely the subject of academic debate but have profound implications for the gathering of statistics, understanding personal mobility with family and individual life cycles, as well as a whole range of economic, social, political and environmental issues. Indeed, it is apparent that migration and tourism are processes which greatly influence each other. For example, the convergence of the two concepts in multi-purpose trips where holiday travel is used to learn about a future migration opportunity. Similarly, migration can be part of lifestyle choice and a means to increased leisure opportunities.

The increasing interplay between tourism and migration can have substantial implications for local and national states, and for host populations. At the state level there emerge such issues as nationality and citizenship rights; the reorganisation of labour markets; new social and spatial divisions of labour; the economic impacts of the redistribution of consumer expenditure, incomes and remittances; and the role of tourism-related migration in regional development. Host populations may also be substantially affected by tourism migration relationships through the recasting of host-guest relationships, along new lines of gendered, racialised and class cleavages; changes in community social and political structures; and alterations in land use and local identities. In all of these issues there will be changes in the demands on the collective services provided by local, sub-national and national states. However, in examining tourism-migration relationships it is important to emphasise that migration is helping to shape the tourism industry, e.g. through the development of VFR tourism and the development of export-oriented work skills and is not just passively shaped by tourism.

Allan Williams and Michael Hall provide a broad introduction to tourism and migration relationships. They argue that changes in production and consumption have resulted in changes in tourism and migration, and in the relationship between these in recent decades. The authors highlight the manner in which linkages between migration and tourism systems, need to be setting within the context of both shifts in capital accumulation and the cultural construction of leisure time and spaces. They then go on to discuss specific forms of tourism and migration relationships as well as identifying some of the major issues which have emerged in the study of the field.
The internationalisation of retirement migration is one of the most rapidly growing demographic features of developed societies. Allan Williams, et al. discusses international retirement migration in Europe with specific reference to retired British residents in the Mediterranean. However, the paper reports that there are a range of motivations for international retirement migration as well as a range of strategies being used to achieve desired retirement outcomes.

Given the nature of the topic it is perhaps not surprising that a number of papers are written by authors from the migrant societies of the New World. The interelationships between tourism migration and emigration are also examined by Sophie Kang and Stephen Page in the context of travel patterns of Korean-New Zealanders. The paper highlights the manner in which migration may lead to the development of VFR or 'ethnic' tourism with family ties and kinship being a major travel motivation.

Carmen Aitken and Michael Hall examine a different aspect of migration in New Zealand through a study of the role of migrant and foreign skills and their relevance to the tourism industry. Countries such as Australia, Canada and New Zealand have sought to attract certain categories of business migrants because of the belief that they will help enhance the competitiveness of the local economy. However, as the paper indicates while tourism businesses proclaim the need for such skills for the tourism industry as a whole, there is less enthusiasm to embrace such skills within their own businesses.

The final paper by Martin Bell and Gary Ward return to some of the definitional issues raised in the opening paper and highlight the difficulties in examining temporary population movements within the Australian context. The paper provides a conceptual framework for the analysis of temporary movement and then explores the methodological issues that emerge from an examination of the quinquennial Australian Census. The paper is especially valuable in that it highlights both the challenges and richness that undertaking work in the field of tourism and migration offers.

It is to be hoped that this set of papers arising from the Tourism and Migration Research Project will not only be the first of many such papers to be published in Tourism Geographies on this hitherto under researched field but that it will also help stimulate greater interest among readers in this important area of contemporary mobility.


Allan M. Williams and C. Michael Hall - Tourism and Migration: New Relationships Between Production and Consumption - pp. 5-27

Abstract: There is weak conceptualisation of the differentiation of migration and tourism, which has contributed to relative neglect of the relationships between these. This paper examines some of the major influences on these relationships, dividing them into two general but inter-linked categories: broad economic and social trajectories, and tourism factors. A number of specific forms of tourism-related migration are then examined in context of these social and economic trajectories. The paper explores labour migration, return migration, entrepreneurial migration, retirement migration, and the special feature of second homes. It concludes by emphasizing the need to place studies of the links between tourism-migration more firmly into wider social science debates, and by setting out some fruitful lines of future research.

Keywords: tourism, migration, entrepreneurship, second homes

Tourisme et migration: nouveaux rapports entre production et consommation

Résumé: Il y a une conceptualisation peu convaincante de la différentiation entre migration et tourisme, ce qui a contribué a une négligence relative de la relation entre les deux. Cet essai examine quelques influences majeures de ces relations en les divisant en deux catégories généraux, mais entre-liées: des trajectoires socio-économiques et des facteurs touristiques généraux. Plusieurs formes spécifiques de tourisme-migration sont examinées dans le contexte de ces trajectoires socio-économiques. L'article expolre la main-d'oeuvre migrante, la migration retournant, l'émigration d'entrepreneurs, la migration de retraités, et l'aspect spécial des résidences secondaires. La conclusion fini par accentuer le besoin d'y mettre en place de plus en plus des études de liens entre tourisme-immigration dans les débats des sciences sociales, et présenter quelques sujets fructueux de rechereches dans l'avenir.

Mots-clés: Tourisme, Migration, Esprit d'enteprise, Résidences secondaires.


Allan M. Williams, Russell King, Tony Warnes and UK Guy Patterson - International Retirement Migration in Europe: From Tourism to residence in the Mediterranean regions - pp. 28-49

Abstract: This paper examines the relationship between retirement migration and tourism in terms of the changing nexus of social relationships that are implicit in international mobility. Three main themes are investigated using data from field studies of British retired persons living in Tuscany, Malta, the Costa del Sol and the Algarve. First, the role of tourism in defining the search spaces of international retirement migrants is explored: insights are provided by the retirement strategies of the migrants, their prior connections with the destinations, and second home ownership. Secondly, amenity-led retirement migration encompasses complex issues of identity, consumption, and peripatetic lifestyles. These are examined from the perspective of emergence of new forms of amenity-seeking retired lifestyles which transverse international boundaries. Thirdly, retirement migrants become both potential participants in and recipients of 'visiting friends and relatives' (VFR) tourism. The scale of such tourism flows and their significance to the migrants are considered through both quantitative and qualitative data.

Keywords: Retirement migration, Globalization, Europe.

Tourisme et migration internationale de retraites: nouvelles formes d'une ancienne relation en europe du sud.

Résumé: L'article étudie la relation entre l'émigration des retraités et le tourisme en terme du connexion changeant les rapports sociaux qui sont implicites dans la mobilité internationale. Trois thèmes principals sont examinés en utilisant les données des études sur le terrain des retraités Britanniques vivant en Toscane, Malte, Costa Del Sol, et Algarve. Premier, on explore le role du tourisme dans la recherche d'espace par les retraités migrants: Les stratégies de retraités migrants donnent des idées de leur liens préalables avec la destination, et la propriété des résidences secondaires. Deux, la migration des retraités comprend des questions complexes d'identité, de consommation, et de styles de vie itinérants. Ces questions sont examinées de la perspective d'apparition de nouveaux formes de styles de vie des retraités qui passent les frontières internationales. Trois, les retraités migrants deviennent de potentiels participants et aussi récipients du tourisme "amies et famille visiteurs" (AFV). Le degré de ce type d'afflux touristique et son importance pour les migrants sont traitées par des données quantitatives et qualitatives.

Mots-clés: Migration de retraités, tourisme, globalisation, Europe.


Sophie Kyung-Mi Kang and Stephen J. Page - Tourism, migration and emigration: Travel patterns of Korean-New Zealanders in the 1990s - pp. 50-65

Abstract: This article examines the patterns and travel habits of recent South Korean immigrants to New Zealand and the growing significance of what King (1994) has called 'ethnic tourism' with a focus on the impact of family ties and kinship in motivating travel for ethnic reunion. This paper is exploratory in nature and develops a number of themes which require further research and development to establish the extent to which such patterns are indicative of global processes shaping the travel habits of immigrant groups. A survey of Korean-New Zealanders conducted in 1998 and the results are evaluated to establish the implications for ethnic outbound travel and the New Zealand travel industry.

Keywords: emigration, tourism and ethnic reunion, tourism and migration

Tourisme, migration et emigration: habitudes de voyage des coreens-Nouvelle Zelandais dans les annees 1990.

Résumé: Cet article examine les caractéristiques et les habitudes de voyage de récents immigrants Sud-Coréens en Nouvelle Zélande en mettant l'accent sur ce que King (1994) a appelé "tourisme éthnique" avec point focal l'impact des liens familiaux et de parenté comme motivateurs des réunions éthniques. La nature de l'article est exploratoire et developpe quelques thèmes qui nécessitent des recherches plus approfondies pour établir le degré que ces caractéristiques sont indicatives de processus globales transformant les habitudes de voyage d'immigrants. En 1998, des Coréens-Nouvelle Zélandais étaient enquetés et les résultats sont évalués pour établir les implications du tourisme éthnique international et le tourisme de la Nouvelle Zélande.

Mots-clés: Emigration, Tourisme et réunion éthnique, Tourisme et migration.


Carmen Aitken and C. Michael Hall - Migrant and International Skills and their Relevance to the Tourism Industry: Fact and Fiction in the New Zealand Context - pp. 66-86

Abstract: The increasing diversity of both tourists and workers in the tourism industry mean there is a greater need for those people in the tourism industry to possess skills manage this diversity. In particular, the inherent nature of service transactions and the growing competitiveness of destinations and businesses require foreign skills to be a necessity. This research investigated the perceived relevance of foreign skills to employees in the New Zealand tourism industry. In order to discover whether a relationship existed between the value placed on foreign skills and a tourism business's success at selling services overseas a survey was sent out to businesses in one of six sectors of the tourism industry (Hotels; Backpacker accommodation; Information centres; Duty free stores; Regional Tourism Authorities; New Zealand Way brand members). While there is a recognition of the need for foreign skills in the industry as a whole, there is a reluctance to acknowledge its importance to individual businesses. Nevertheless, specific cultural knowledge and knowledge of foreign business ethics and practices were regarded as significant. Furthermore there were several significant relationships between the value placed on certain foreign skills and sector of the tourism industry a business was in. Other independent variables such as ownership and a businesses export activities had an influence on the perception of foreign skills and the utilisation of them. The regions tourism businesses were selling services to also tended to have significant relationships with a number of foreign skills characteristics. Certain foreign skills appear to be more important than others and this level of importance can be affected by issues such as ownership, type of tourism business, and international trade activity. The paper concludes by noting that the presence or need for foreign skills will have implications for business's human resource policy, education institutions and immigration policy.

Keywords: tourism employment, labor skills, new zealand, globalization

Migrants et competences d'etrangers et leur pertinence a l'industrie du tourisme

Résumé: La diversité croissante des touristes et des travailleurs dans le domaine touristique veut dire qu'il y a un grand besoin que les professionnels en tourisme doivent etre qualifiés pour gérer cette diversité. En particulier, la nature inhérente des transactions de services et la compétition acharnée des destinations et de l'industrie touristique nécessitent des étrangers qualifiés. Cette étude examine l'utilité percue des étrangers compétents pour les employeurs dans le domaine touristique en Nouvelle Zélande. Pour découvrir s'il y a une relation entre la valeur placée sur la compétence d'étrangres et le success d'affaires de tourisme quand ils vendent leurs services a l'étranger, une enquete été envoyée a un des six secteurs du tourime (Hotels; Hébergement de rondonneurs; Centres d'information; Boutique hors taxes; Autorités Régionales de Tourisme; les Membres de Nouvelle Zélande Way Brand). Meme si on reconnait qu'il y a un besoin des étrangers qualifiés dans le tourisme, l'industrie toristique est peu disposeé d'admettre son importance à chaque entreprise touristique. Néanmoins, la connaissance spécifique de la culture et de l'éthique et la pratique des affaires des étrangers étaient reconnues comme très importantes. De plus, il y a plusieurs rapports importants entre la valeure placée sur quelques compétences des étrangers et le secteur du tourisme où l'entreprise est engagée. Autres variables indépendants commme la propriété et les activités d'exportation avaient des influences sur la perception des qualifications d'étrangers et leur utilisation. La région ou l'entreprise de tourisme vent ces services tendait d'avoir des rapports significatifs avec plusieurs charactéristiques de qualifications. Certaines compétences tendent d'etre plus importants que les autres et ce niveau d'importance peut etre affecté par des questions comme la propriété, sorte d'entreprise touristique, et l'activité du commerce international. L'artice fini par noter que la présence ou le besoin d'etrangers qualifiés va avoir des conséquences pour la politique des ressources humaines, les établissements d'enseignement, et la politique d'immigration.

Mots-clés: Emploi en tourisme, qualifications de la main d'oeuvre, Nouvelle Zélande, globalisation


Martin Bell and Gary Ward - Comparing Permanent Migration with Temporary Mobility: An Analysis of Australian Data - pp. 87-107

Abstract: In contrast with developing countries, where the study of circulation occupies a central position, the literature on temporary mobility in the developed world is sparse and unsystematic. This paper examines reasons for this fragmentation and endeavours to situate tourism within the wider context of temporary and permanent population movements. It is suggested that temporary moves have three distinctive dimensions - duration, frequency and seasonality - which present a formidable methodological challenge. Despite this, it is argued that both forms of movement can be usefully classified under production-related and consumption-related headings. Against this framework we explore similarities and differences in the intensity, composition and spatial patterns of temporary and permanent moves using data from the Australian population Census. The findings point to processes of complementarity and substitution which underline the inter-connectedness of different forms of mobility at the individual and aggregate levels across space and through time.

Keywords: temporary mobility, permanent migration, Australia

Désolé, aucun abrégé sur français langage n'est disponible.


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